Question about a figure in Goljan's RR Pathology 2nd Edition.......

[Knicks]

On page 532, figure 23-6, the caption says, ".........The patient cannot bend forward owing to fusion of the vertebra."

But if you look at the figure, he IS seen bending forward.

Any clarification on this?

Thanks.

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[HIJay]

i dont have the book with me, but im going to guess the fusion caused a LIMITED range of motion, so the man is probably not able to bend forward fully...

just a guess

 

[delhidoc]

The photograph you are referring to shows an old gentleman 'trying' to bend forward, but unable to. I think they cant really show it in a photo, u would need a video to demonstrate that.

As for what u are referring to as 'his bending forward'.....that is just the forward curvature and part of the pathology.......page 531 says 'fusion of vertebrae ("bamboo spine") causes forward curvature' . So the forward curvature u are seeing in photo is static, and the person's spine has no range of motion so he cannot bend much beyond that static curvature

 

[Blesbok]

Is he flexing his spine or is he just bending at the hips?

 

[alpha06]

It APPEARS as if he is bending forward but he is really flexed at the hips and his spine is "locked" into that position.

He can bend forward with the flexion of his hips, but not with the flexion of his spine.

More info: http://www.espine.com/ankylosing.htm

The picture on the bottom is similar to the one in RR Goljan. But the guy on the website looks more pronounced.